O Caso Westland

Obnoxious detective (Preston Foster) assembles the friends of a man on death row to help prove he didn't commit the murder of which he was convicted. First in the Crime Club series from Universal. Most of these movies weren't connected but three of them feature Foster as detective Crane and Frank Jenks as his sidekick Doc. Crane just annoys me. He's not funny or charming like they clearly intended him to be. His seeming indifference to what's going on gets old fast. The rest of the cast is ok. Clarence Wilson and Harlow knock-off Barbara Pepper are standouts. It's a fairly routine B detective picture. Not bad to kill an hour but nothing special.

The fact that some fiction is so implausible as to be wonderful reading fulfills the definition of much of the mystery writing that has ever been done. When converted into a film, some of these ridiculously implausible films are the most fun to watch. Universal made eight "Crime Club" mystery films based on novels that were part of such a series. The very first one was "The Westland Case" (1937), starring Preston Foster, Frank Jenks, Carol Hughes, Barbara Pepper, Astrid Allwyn, Clarence Wilson, Theodore von Eltz, George Meeker, Russell Hicks, Selmer Jackson, Thomas E. Jackson, and others. This one moves along at a wonderful pace, and the characters are all full of snap, pap, and sass. Barbara Pepper does her best saltiest Mae West and infinitely steals the best acting honors. She's absolutely wonderful in the part. Even reedy and thin-boned, thin-voiced, wiry-haired Clarence Wilson shines throughout the affairs of this tumbling mystery that takes one from one suspect to another as Preston Foster cleverly, slyly, hung-overly, smart-assedly goes after the clue that breaks the mystery into solved territory. His helper is the equally smart-assed, self-righteous-eyed, told-ya'-so Frank Jenks. The plot is one where a wife (of Theodore von Eltz) is found murdered in a locked room, with the key still in the locked room. The husband is accused and is on death row. Another death row character, Ward Bond, recommends that the husband hire Preston Foster. This was really well done and a pleasure to watch. Moves like a race around 1930's dirt race tracks, with plenty of dust and oil and nary a car in the film at a race track, just mystery stirring the pot of fate - with a lot of garlic added.

PI Preston Foster is hired to prove the innocence of Theodore von Eltz -- also a tough job -- before he hangs in less than a week.

It's the first of three Universal mysteries based on Jonathan Latimer's 'Bill Crane' detective novels. It's a fine classic crime mystery, with Foster gradually assembling the real story, although his conclusions remain a little obscure even after he explains them and produces the witness. Still, for a second feature, it's brief, lively and gets the job done.

It's directed by the under-rated Christy Cabanne. Mr. Cabanne is generally considered a terrible director, but when he had a bit of a budget, he could get some nice effects. He began directing under the supervision of D. W. Griffith about 1913, and by the early 1930s was considered a leading director at the newly constituted MGM. Sound hit him hard, like many of the old professionals, but until the end of the 1930s, he held up his end in programmers and second features. He directed his last of more than 150 features and short subjects in 1948 and died two years later, aged 62.

The Westland Case (1937)

** (out of 4)

Robert Westland is in prison and set to die in a matter of days when private detective Bill Crane (Preston Foster) decides to take his case. Westland's wife was found murdered inside her apartment with all the doors and windows locked. There were only two keys with one on the inside and the other with her husband.

THE WESTLAND CASE was the first of eight Crime Club films that would be produced at Universal in a very quick period. This was the first in the series that I've watched and I must admit that I was really letdown by it, although I've read that it's one of the weakest in the series. I think the biggest problem is the fact that the screenplay really isn't all that memorable and in fact I'd argue that it really isn't any better than some of the detective films from the poverty row companies.

I think the biggest problem is in fact the screenplay, which doesn't give us an interesting case and it certainly doesn't give us any interesting characters. The Crane character really isn't any different than a dozen other detectives out there during this era and he certainly doesn't put himself up there with the best known. Even worse are the supporting members who don't add much of anything. Throw in some rather weak humor and you've got all the elements for a rather bland film.

This film is notable for one reason, and one reason only. It is the performance of Barbara Pepper, a Mae-West look and act alike actress who does a terrific job of imitating Mae West. For five minutes, I was mezmerized by her performance. Her body movements, eye rolling, posture with hand on hip, and other right-on imitations of West were remarkable. The rest of the film is average kaka. See the film and roll to the 25 minute mark just for this sequence; its worth it. Then forget about watching the rest of it.